PORTLAND — York County Judge of Probate Robert M.A. Nadeau has been ordered suspended from his duties as a judge for 30 days in a decision handed up just before noon today by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
As well, Nadeau was censured and reprimanded by the court.
The court ordered the suspension to take effect Oct. 3.
The suspension, reprimand and censure come as a result of a complaint filed in 2014 by the Maine Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability, which alleged Nadeau breached judicial canons in a letter he wrote to an attorney and in his handling of social media.
The court found Nadeau guilty of violating two canons of the Code of Judicial Conduct following a hearing by Active Retired Justice Robert Clifford — who acted as a hearing justice in the case — and oral arguments heard by the court in November.
The court noted Nadeau was not acting in a immediate judicial capacity when he engaged in the conduct at issue.
Nadeau could face further action. Findings from a round of complaints filed by the CJRD in 2015 and heard by Clifford earlier this year were handed up July 15.
In that ruling, Clifford found that Nadeau acted in “anger in disappointment” in 2015, and breached several judicial canons when a request for additional court hours and an increase in salary was denied.
In that case, the CJRD y is asking that Nadeau be suspended to the end of his current judicial term, which expires Dec. 31.
Look for more on this story in Friday’s Journal Tribune.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less